The city could open itself up to potential legal risk if it allowed a volunteer effort to perform work that's supposed to be done by union labor, wrote Alizia Gallo, business services development manager for the Oakland Community and Economic Development Agency, in an email declining the group's offer.

That sounds bad enough. But it gets worse: A city lawyer whom Gallo blames for the decision says his office had nothing to do with Gallo's call.

A spokesman for Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums told NBC Bay Area that their office did not have immediate comment on the latest turn in this holiday decorations saga.